Friday, March 24, 2017

Women-Owned Restaurants Up 40-Percent in This State

Restaurants owned by women are on the increase, and in this state, they are up 40 percent, according to Kathy Deck with the Center For Business & Economic Research at the University of Arkansas. Women restaurant owners in Arkansas have been rapidly growing.
Lycia Shrum, who owns Blackboard Grocery and Eatery in downtown Fayetteville, Arkansas, couldn't be happier. When she opened her restaurant in 2014, she says "We definitely hit the floor running and were well received by the community right off the bat."

The amount of restaurants owned by women is quickly catching up to male-owned restaurants, according to the National Restaurant Association. In Arkansas, restaurants account for 11 percent of jobs in the state. The increase in the amount of new restaurants being opened by women means more jobs and is good for the overall economy in Arkansas.

Pursuing their dreams

Deck adds that "the pace of women owning restaurants is outpacing just all restaurants growing, that means women are becoming more and more of a percentage of the folks who own restaurants over time." Years ago, women didn't have many opportunities as business owners. More women now have an opportunity to pursue their dreams of owning their own restaurant, and they are taking advantage of it.

Shrum believes her great great grandmother would have been proud of her for owning her own restaurant. She adds, "It's definitely great to have an opportunity to do something we love despite our gender."